Man faces additional charges in alleged fake check cashing scam

A Carson City man faces seven felony counts of commercial burglary and seven counts of uttering a forged instrument after being arrested for allegedly attempting to cash counterfeit checks at a casino on the account of the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California.

Donald Paul Jackson, 27, is being held on $32,500 bail and faces additional charges brought on April 8. Jackson was originally arrested at the Carson City casino on March 30 for one count of allegedly cashing counterfeit checks. An investigation led to a total of seven checks that were cashed, between March 18 and March 29, with a total loss of more than $8,000, according to the arrest report.

Authorities learned that prior to each time Jackson allegedly presented the false check to casino staff, he also provided his own Nevada driver's license and voluntarily offered his finger print and his own phone number to further convince casino staff that he was legitimate, according to the arrest report.

Since the first incident in which Jackson entered the casino, he continued to repeat his criminal acts, authorities said, alleging that he had the intent to continue defrauding the casino and subjecting it to further losses, the arrest report stated.

In other arrests:

— Two Carson City men were arrested on various felony drug charges after more than three pounds of marijuana was found inside an apartment.

Trevor James Neilson, 21, and Myles Robert Burdett, 20, were arrested in the 1100 block of Woodside Drive following a complaint made to the Carson City Sheriff's Office Special Enforcement Team.

The men told authorities they had been selling marijuana in small amounts from time to time to make extra money, according to the arrest report. Both men stated, after waiving their Miranda rights, that they sell "10s and 20's" which is slang for selling $10 and $20 amounts of marijuana, the arrest report stated.

The men do not have medical marijuana clearance. Neilson, the occupant of the apartment, gave authorities permission to search the residence. The search netted approximately 1,715 grams or about 3.78 pounds of marijuana, which Neilson told authorities belonged to him.

Also located were five glass marijuana pipes with residue inside, two digital scales, multiple small plastic baggies used for packaging, a large zip-lock bag containing 39 cookies containing suspected marijuana and three prescription medical bottles containing prescription medications.

Two of the prescription bottles had the labels ripped off and one bottle had a name of a male not residing at the residence, the arrest report stated. One of the bottles was found in the pocket of Neilson, and was identified as Oxycodone, a schedule II narcotic.

During further search of the apartment Burdett admitted that approximately 79 grams or 2.7 ounces of marijuana found in three separate Mason jars belonged to him. One contained 28 grams, while the two others contained approximately 24 grams each, the arrest report stated.

Neilson faces felony counts of drug possession for sale and possession of more than 1 ounce of marijuana; a gross misdemeanor charge of possession of prescription pills without a prescription and a misdemeanor charge of drug paraphernalia. Bail was set at $15,000. Burdett faces felony charges of possessing drugs for sale and possessing more than 1 ounce of marijuana, and a misdemeanor charge of possessing drug paraphernalia. Bail was set at $15,000.

— A Mound House man faces a felony driving under the influence charge, having three prior convictions.
Michael Lee Hughes, 58, is being held on $10,000 bail following his April 2 arrest.

Officers were contacted after dispatch received a 911 call from a person who said they had been nearly struck by Hughes, who was seen operating a vehicle near Winnie Lane and Carson Street, according to the arrest report. He was contacted by officers in the parking lot of a Carson City bar with his keys in the ignition, according to the arrest report.

The arresting officer reported that Hughes had slurred speech, could not keep his balance and possessed all the signs of alcohol intoxication. He refused to perform a series of sobriety tests, but did submit to a breath test in which he blew a .297, according to the arrest report. In Nevada, intoxication is .08. He was taken to the hospital for medical clearance and then taken to jail. His last felony DUI was in 2000, the arrest report stated.